Morris Raiford Johns
(1867-1924)

Died aged c. 57

Morris Raiford Johns was born September 3, 1867 in Orange County, Florida. He left the Orlando area when he was in his early twenties for the town of Rockledge in Brevard County. He established a reputation there as a skilled farmer. When O. K. Woods and his two brothers came to Stuart in 1889 to farm pineapples, they hired Morris to oversee their plantings. In 1894 he homesteaded a 160-acre parcel of land and, following his marriage, established a successful pineapple plantation. Johns later operated a grocery, dry cleaning service, and funeral home. In the 1920s he became deputy sheriff of Juno. He died in the line of duty, October 1, 1924.

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